A Hunter's Endsong: Chapter 1
by DanteXAlien
Summary: First Chapter Disclaimer: I Do Not Own Monster Hunter
1. Chapter 1

** Prolouge**

Flames danced around the Hunter. He stood in the center of an abandoned fort, calm in the hurricane that raged around him. The black dragon, Fatalis, hissed. The Hunter had wounded him greatly, but hadn't killed him. The dragon's body lay near a cliff. He struggled to get up, to kill this annoying man. The Hunter walked forward, unsheathing his Bone Katana. Fatalis roared defiantly, and let loose a weak stream of fire. The Hunter calmly rolled out of the way, and began to run forward. There was a sound of rock breaking, and the cliff began to crack under the dragon's weight. The Hunter's eyes widened, and he began to turn.

Fatalis lashed out, grabbing ahold of the Hunter's leg. The cliff began to tumble into the abyss. The black dragon was dragging the Hunter with it. The Hunter screamed in pain as the talons sunk through is flesh. His fingers tore through the ground, reaching for his sword, and trying to remain ahold of the gound at the same time. He was at the edge of the cliff, with his fingers slipping. "I...I'll miss you Shayle." The Hunter whispered as he let go. Hundreds of miles away, in a small village, a young girl with white hair woke up screaming for her father.

**10 Years Pass...**

Shayle fidgeted impatiently as she waited for the lone Velociprey to take a bite of the meat. _Hurry up, I want to be back in the village before it reaches noon. _The Velociprey hissed, and looked around for a moment. It bent down, and began to tear into the meat. Shayle unsheathed her sword, and rushed the small raptor from behind. Before it had time to react, she had tore into it twice, leaving deep gashes on its flank. The Velociprey dropped the meat, and turned around, snarling in pain and anger. It jumped backwards, snapping its jaws in anger. She again rushed it, swinging her blade in an arc, slicing into it's side. The raptor screamed, and swung it's claws, slicing into the shoulder of her armor. She grimaced for a moment in pain, then drove her blade into it's throat. The Velociprey gurgled, then fell to it's side, dead. Shayle drew a small carving knife, and sliced a few scales off, then ripped a fang out. She tilted her head towards a small cliff, listening intently. Silence, then a rumble that shook her bones slowly climbed through the air. _He's up...damn...I wanted to get a few more things. _A large red Rathalos leered down at her from his perch. She backed away from the Velociprey, never taking her eyes off of the wyvren. It watched her untill she disappeared into a small tunnel, then soared down, swallowing the Velociprey whole.

Shayle put the scales and fang into her small pouch, and walked back to the village, turning slightly so she could get paid at the Hunter's Guild. An old man, with a large pipe that emmited green smoke, turned at her approach. He smiled politely, and took the pipe out of his mouth. "Well now lassie, did ye git it???" He asked. "Aye, but a Rathalos got the rest of the carcass." She responded. "Ahaha, aye, he'll git yer kills if ye doesn't carve 'em fast enuff." He smirked slightly. Shayle glared slightly at him. "You've been drinking too much again, haven't you?" She said. He laughed. "Aye, lassie, that I've been." He reached down, and put a small brown bag on the table. Something metallic clinked inside.

"There ye go, yer payment lassie." He said, then put his pipe back in his mouth, and turned away. She took the small bag, opened it for a moment, then closed it. She turned away, and walked down a small worn path. A large number of huts dotted along the path, hidden and seen amongst the tree's and bushes. She walked untill she reached the third hut on the right. She walked to it, and opened the door, tossing her payment and equiptment pouch ontop of a large trunk. _Home..._She sighed, and went inside, closing the door tightly behind her. She took off her armor sluggishly, noting the rip in her shoulder armor and the wound. _I'll get it fixed later..._With her armor off, and just her regular clothes on, she stretched slightly, yawning. She lay down in her small cot, and closed her eyes.

Rath quietly watched her return, his eyes noting the tear in her armor and shoulder over the brim of his mug. He sighed...she needed to upgrade her armor more often. Then she wouldn't come back from hunts bruised and cut. He closed his eyes, and set down 15z, paying for his drink. He got up, beginning to follow her to reprimand her for her armor. She didn't notice him following her, she never did. She entered her hut, and slammed the door in his face. He waited for a few moments, then knocked softly. She didn't respond. He opened the door slowly, ready to cover his eyes and run if the situation called for it. It didn't, she was asleep. He backed out slowly, knowing she would beat him if she woke up while he was there. He closed the door, pausing to grab the top of her armor, and left.

Rath jogged to the armory. A wrinkled old man, only reaching the top of Rath's waist, turned away from the Bowgun he was repairing. "Rath!!! Long time no chat! What'cha got there?? It seems to be a bit small for ya." He said, eyeing the leather armor. Rath tilted his head slightly. "It isn't mine, it's Shayle's armor." The old man looked at him in surprise, then a smile spread across his face. He chuckled slightly, then stopped as Rath glared down at him. "I 'borrowed' it from her. She needs it repaired, Velociprey ripped it open at the shoulder." Rath said, still glaring a the old man, who slightly shrunk away. He tossed it to the old man, who caught it, examining it. "I'll fix it for her." The old man said. Rath nodded, then walked away, back towards the tavern. "Crazy boy...he has no idea what she's going to do to him when she finds out." The old man muttered as he turned back to the bowgun.

Shayle woke up 2 hours later. She slowly got up, and stretched, cracking her back, neck, and shoulders in the process. She shook her head, getting rid of her sleep, and headed towards the door. She stopped, looking at where she had placed her armor. The rip in her shoulder armor had been repaired. She picked it up, looking at it, running her hand along where it had been re-sewn back together. _Who did this?? _She set it down, and looked at the wound in her shoulder. It hadn't closed yet, but the blood flow had ceased. She walked outside, blinking slightly at the bright light, then headed to the surgueons building. She looked politely at the Hunter that had broken his leg from a fall, then moved on to the counter. "May I help you??" An assistant politely asked. "Yeah, I just need this closed." Shayle said, turning so the assistant could examine her shoulder. The assistant made a small clicking in her throat. "Velociprey claw??? You should have come here sooner, these things can become infected." The assistant said, while getting a bone needle and Kelbi hair thread. "Come back here, and I'll sew it up for you." Shayle walked through a door, and sat down in a chair. The assistant came over, threading the bone needle. Shayle watched quietly. The assistant wiped a smelly purple gel over the wound, causing Shayle's eyes to water slightly at the sting. The assistant jabbed the needle in, and began to sew the wound. Shayle closed her eyes, and re-opened them moments later when the assistant was done. "Thanks.." She said, and got up, dropping 35z on the counter as she began left. "By the way, you're Shayle, aren't you??? How is that scar???" Shayle stopped, and cold washed over her. Reflexively, she put a hand over her stomach, concealing it. "Why do you ask???" Shayle asked. "Well, wounds from Rathalos and Rathian usually continue to hurt the bearer, even after they have healed. Does yours ever sting or hurt???" The assistant asked. "No..." Shayle said coldly, and left.

Once outside, she drew her hand away. The scar, jagged and white across her tan skin, was memoir of a white Rathian attack. Shayle closed her eyes, remebering the sound of wingbeats, of the roaring, the sound of her bones being crushed and her skin being ripped open. She opened her eyes, rage filling them to the brim. She clenched her fist slightly, then headed off towards the tavern. She needed a drink to cool herself down. She sat down next to a fellow Hunter named Rath. He was commonly helping her and a few younger Hunters, making him a good person to be around. She flared her fingers out, and a small mug slid towards her. She caught it, and took a small sip, allowing her nerves to calm down.

Rath was surprised as Shayle sat down next to him. He looked over at her, seeing the wound had been closed. _Does she know I had her armor fixed for her???? _He took a sip from his mug. "Sorry..." He said.

Shayle looked over at him. "Sorry for what?????" He began to answer, but then a loud trumpeting of a horn was heard. She got up, and ran to the village square, as Rath did also. Something was up...


	2. Chapter 2

Shayle and Rath entered the town square at the same time. She headed towards the announcement board, gently pushing aside some townsfolk. A young Hunter, about her age, was layed out, his stomach ripped open, along with his throat. Her breath was caught slightly. It was Vorn...He had become a Hunter a few months after her. He had always been slightly clumsy, and not very good at dodging. Now he had payed for it. She closed her eyes slightly, then walked forward. "What did this???" She said sharply at the medic. He glanced up at her, then slowly drew a large claw that had been embeded in the Hunter's stomach. "Velocidrome..." The medic said softly, then pulled a white sheet over the boy's head, then picked up the stretcher, carrying him to his family's hut. Shayle closed her eyes, stopping her tears. She opened them, and glanced up at Rath, who nodded slightly. She ran to her hut, donning her armor and sliding her sword into the leather straps in her back. Her green eyes burned with a fire of hate, and revenge. She strode out to the village, and waited for Rath.

Rath followed Shayle into the town square, following her to the annoucement board. He could smell the death and blood before he saw the young Hunter. He closed his eye's for a moment, giving the boy a small prayer, hoping his death had been quick. He heard Shayle's breath catch, and opened his eye's, watching her. _She must've known him... _He glanced at the wounds, then saw the medic holding up a large red claw. He paled slightly. Velocidrome did this...and where one Velocidrome was, a few more were sure to be near. He looked down slightly, to see Shayle looking up at him. Fire burned in her bright green eyes. He nodded slightly, knowing exactly what she was going to do. She dashed off, back to her hut. Rath watched for a moment, then turned towards his, donning his armor, and placing his blade in it's straps. His golden eyes hardened slightly as he walked out, and headed towards where Shayle waited for him. He glanced at her. "We need to upgrade your armor and sword when we get back." He said softly. She nodded in return, and headed down the path to the areas. Rath followed, his footsteps silent, his tread fast. He tilted his head slightly as they entered the plains.

Kelbi stopped, and stared at them, fleeting away when they got too close. Nothing...not a god damn sound. Shayle was listening also, her tread slower, so she might hear something. They slowly entered the tall grass area. Rath reached out, and grabbed ahold of Shayle's arm before she entered the tall grass. She jumped slightly, and glared back at him. "They like this area...it's easier to sneak up on you, and easier to kill you." He said, slightly emphasizing the last part. Shayle nodded, and drew her blade, slowly going through the grass. The grass, innocent looking, was taller than a young wyvren. Shayle and Rath silently traveled through it, looking at the sky every now and then, watching for wyvrens.

Yellow slitted eyes, contrasted by a blue and black scaled body, watched them, hidden up high on a ledge. The watcher hissed, a sound unheard by them, but as loud as a roar to its pack. The Velociprey pack moved in, disappearing into the tall grass. The Velocidrome's maw was slightly open, in an attempt at a grin.

Rath stopped as he heard the sound of grass on scales. Shayle didn't. She kept walking forward, oblivious to the danger. "Shayle...I think we shoul-" Rath began, but was too late. A pair of Velociprey snarled, and jumped into view, and snapped at both of the Hunters. Shayle and Rath dodge rolled out of harm's reach in the nick of time. They looked up, watching bright black and blue scaled bodies leap out of the tall grass. They both ran forward, slashing and hacking their way through the Velociprey. Their broken bodies lay at Shayle and Rath's feet, life torn from them by cold steel and rage. Shayle flinched as a Velociprey darted in with a lucky hit, biting down on her shoulder. Rath turned and snarled, cleaving the raptor-like monster's head from the neck. Shayle pushed the head off, and pressed a her hand against the wound, trying to slow the bleeding from where the Velociprey's teeth had ripped into her. She took a breather, watching Rath finish off the last Velociprey. He was ruthless...killing it with quick speed and devastating strikes. With a gurgling hiss, the final Velociprey sank to the ground, to never rise again. Rath turned to her, a cold look in his eyes that even made her edge away from him. Then it was shadowed, by a warm smile as he came over to examine her wound. He gently wrapped it with an aloe plant and a few herbs, then looked around. "That seems to be all the Velociprey...then where is the Drome?" He said carefully.

A snarl ripped through the grass as the Drome stalked out of the grass, eyes flickering between them and its dead pack. It crouched low the the ground, eyes on the wounded Hunter. Shayle watched it, bringing her blade up, and settling into a defensive stance. She noticed one of it's claws were missing from the left hand. _Vorn..._She said softly in her mind. The Velocidrome ducked his head, preparing to pounce. At that moment, Shayle darted forward, aiming to slash at the monster's throat. The Velocidrome dodged , and swung it's head, knocking her to the ground. Rath darted forward, plunging his blade into the monster's back. The Velocidrome screamed in pain, and turned towards him, snapping. Shayle swung her small sword, and being on the ground, sliced the Drome's left tendon with ease. It shrieked in pain, and tried to limp away from both of them. With a snarl, Rath whirled around, slashing his blade across the stomach, spilling the monsters entrails. With a final shriek, the Velocidrome collapsed down amongst it's breathren, struggling for a few moments, before laying still.

Shayle got up slowly, looking down at the monster. It's yellow eyes had faded over with an icy tinge, and it looked odd amongst the blood stained grass. With a laugh of joy, she flopped backwards on the grass, looking up at the sky. She had helped kill her first Velocidrome. She watched the clouds, wondering what her father must've felt when he had slayed his first. With a sigh of relief, Rath flopped against the ground, next to her. He smiled, and looked over, watching her joyfull expression. "Well then...we'll rest for a little, then carve up the kills, and finally head home. Drinks are on me tonight." He said with a grin.


End file.
